Reviewing the status of Saudi women
OVER the past few years, Saudi women have been active in the country as they seek to participate and move into respected positions. Though this is true, the challenges they are facing have not decreased.
Women in Saudi Arabia face many closed doors as well as greater obstacles and restrictions in the name of religion, tradition or even because of government regulations.
These restrictions on women reached the point where their very existence was controlled by a “male guardian,” who might be any male family member.
The restrictions included conditions that involved their right to finish their education, find a job, receive medical treatment, open bank accounts, own and run a business, in addition to other factors relating to their rights.
It is important to note that these increasing restrictions have not succeeded in convincing women to stay at home; instead, women have been so determined to pursue their higher education that the number of female university students is now greater than males.
Today, there are more than 250,000 young women in Saudi universities, 10 percent more than males. The increasing number of educated and qualified women makes it clear that these two contradictory trends cannot go hand in hand.
Moreover, the government cannot encourage women to pursue their education and find employment while, at the same time, obliging them to deal with such restrictions.
Last week, an important step toward addressing the issue was taken when King Salman intervened and ordered a review of the current procedures and practices considering all restrictions imposed on women. The review will reveal the legal bases for them.
This royal intervention hindered the actions and decisions of some groups and bureaucrats who were using these provisions to prevent women from doing things without the consent of a male family member.
If the regulations and legal restrictions are amended, society will change for the better.
It is unreasonable and unacceptable for half the population to be disabled and separated from jobs and services based on the desires of a conservative group.
We are now seeing two completely opposing groups in Saudi society: Those who support granting women their full rights and those who want women to stay at home.
We see that the government has opened schools and universities with free education for girls; it provides them with jobs and allocates 20 percent of seats in the Shoura Council to them. This, by the way, is one of the highest numbers for women in the world’s legislative councils.
The government also encourages women to run for municipal elections and allows them to sit in the first rows in the chambers of commerce and in service and media associations as well as in senior government positions.
The conservative group that wants women to stay at home refuses to recognize women’s rights and capabilities. It considers them minors even if they are qualified brain surgeons. This group wants women on all levels to remain subject to their guardians.
Despite all these restrictions, do not underestimate the determination of Saudi women. There are those among them who are challenging these mistaken ideas, seeking to correct them through the Shoura Council or the Saudi media.
All these issues have been subject to open debate, including the rights of women to travel and even to drive a car.
Hopes are high for women, at least most of them, to achieve their desires, and meet the positive spirit of the Saudi Vision’s target. Thus the project to develop the whole society will succeed. Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is a veteran columnist. He is the former general manager of Al Arabiya News Channel, and former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, where this article was originally published.